


Quarantine

by JenCforCarolina



Category: Destiny (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 15:58:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10857291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenCforCarolina/pseuds/JenCforCarolina
Summary: Sometimes sacrifice is involuntary.





	Quarantine

**Author's Note:**

> Forgot to post this back when the Glitterplague was a thing.

It was the moment the ramp dropped, in hindsight, that broke everything.

The frames weren’t there as there usually were, to help him cart down the crates of herbs and seedlings he’d brought back from the wild. It had been years now, and Amanda had never forgotten to send them, so long as he didn’t come in on Sunday. He didn’t think it was Sunday, she should be here.

Mack strode down the ramp, glanced around the hangar. It wasn’t as busy as usual, he had noticed the strange decrease in flight traffic on his way in.

One Guardian, a woman in poor fitting Hunter’s gear, hopped the railing and landed on the hangar deck. She jogged towards him, the afternoon light playing off dust and setting a strange glowing affect about her face. He crossed his arms curiously, acknowledging and waiting for her. When Amanda’s voice came from her mic he narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“Mack, oh no. I’m so sorry I wanted to warn you off, but they had me pulled out for scanning. I’m so sorry.” Her voice choked, filled with regret.

“Amanda?” He had to duck his head to peer in past the helmet. “What’s going on.”

“Citys on quarantine.” She whimpered, and when he stiffened with fear she corrected herself. “Rather, we’re on quarantine from them. This… virus.” She waved a hand by her face, and the strange yellow dust specks around her head wafted as if on a breeze before resuming their dance. There were some other colors in the mix, it looked like, but primarily yellow. He backed away from her, left heel kicking the end of his ship’s ramp, and she shook her head.

“I’m so sorry Mack. It’s too late. They think… they say it’s infected half the Guardians now. That the rest will be by the end of the week.” It was then something caught his eye, a flash of yellow, passing right in front of his face.

He shook his head ferociously, waved his hands in front of his face. “No!” Stumbled back a few steps up the ramp. Amanda didn’t follow him, instead pulled a pad from under her arm and tapped something quickly.

“I’m sorry Mack, Owl Sector orders. Ships grounded with the rest. I have to enact quarantine.” Plague control. This was real.

His head was pounding now, breath seemed to be coming shallow. “What does it do? How long do I have to… live?”

“Nanovirus they say, and no one knows. Ain’t been no deaths. Ain’t been no ill effects on any Guardians either, most say it’s made them feel better than ever. All of us nots gotta wear suits now though, just in case. Sector pulled up logs from Clovis Bray, guess that’s where it came from. Put a guy into a coma so…” She pressed a hand to the side of her temple, obviously tired. “Gotta stay here for the young’uns. Keep ‘em safe down there in the City.” And Mack realized he’d never asked after Amanda’s family, the people she went home to once a week.

“Right.” He said, swallowing and collecting himself. “Right. I… I have to go make a call.”

She nodded and stepped aside. A few more people in unfamiliar suits were moving down to the hangar now. He thought about grabbing his notebooks, his pressbooks, but the words ‘quarantine’ and ‘epidemic’ were swirling in his head. None of his medical supplies could help this. He couldn’t help this. Have to obey. Protect the city.

He strode away from the ship, looking for a private corner somewhere to call Lorene, and tell her he’d be missing another birthday.


End file.
